Tales at the Inn
by Lucreace
Summary: The Inn of All Locations is there for those who need it the most. A magical place where anyone can meet and have a little relaxation and rest time. Features many characters from many fictions. I just picked the once who feature in the first chapter. Loads of O/C's and funny situations will arise. I will take requests for this one for the future. Hope you enjoy reading it.
1. Of Celebrations and Relaxation

_This is set in the Inn of All Locations; it welcomes any and all who wish to find it. It is an old and a new building. The beauty of the wooden bar is a timeless beauty. The innkeeper is a young man with eyes older than time. He serves everything you could wish for and some things you can't. The food is to die for and you won't find a bed as comfortable anywhere else as in this establishment. There is always a warm fire in the hearth, sometimes, a band or musician will be playing in one of the corners. The inn is a safe haven for all those who seek it, but you won't find it in any travel brochures or advertisements, this place needs nothing so crude to attract its patrons. It can only be found by those who need it or by those who have been there before._

Of Celebrations and Relaxations

Well, this was all a bit strange. One moment he'd been walking through the palace of King's Landing, he'd passed through the door into his quarters and now he was here. Wherever here was. A quick look round informed Varys that he was at an Inn, a large Inn at that too. He looked behind him through the door and found that it led to an outside area. Warm sunshine filtered through the wispy clouds and green grass grew on the ground. He walked over the golden coloured wooden floor and approached the bar. The barman, who was there the moment Varys stopped, took his order and poured out a generous glass of red wine. He paid with the currency in his pocket, it satisfied the bartender so he had no complaints there. Once he had a drink in his hand, he sat on a stool and gave the room a good look.

It was massive, with a multitude of chairs and table scattered around the room. In one corner there was a raised stage for musicians and entertainers to use. There were also several booths for people to sit and enjoy quiet conversations. The place had a homely feel to it and as he sipped his wine, Varys found himself beginning to relax. The other patrons were also highly interesting. A pale faced man with greasy dark hair dressed in black was sitting talking to a weary looking lady with red hair. Another group of friends were sitting chatting about something that must have been hilarious; the brown haired chap threw his head back and howled with peals of laughter.

"Another new face it seems," Varys turned to face the person who had addressed him. A short woman with straight brown hair smiled up at him. "My name is Siskin," she said thrusting out her hand, "Pleased to meet you."

He ran a hand over his bald head and looked at her hand. After a moment, he clasped it in his own and shook it. "Varys," he said.

"Come on, I'll show you round." Not wanting to decline the offer, Varys picked up his wine glass and followed her. She led him to the table with the laughing patrons. They quietened as she approached and turned to pass their gazes over him. "This is Vincent," the brown haired laugher, "Kiz," a skinny woman dressed in an army uniform, "and Nathaniel," a black haired, blue eyed serious looking young man with a white streak in his hair at his left temple. "This is Varys, he's new here so be nice."

The three of them waved a greeting and all enquired after his health. He informed them he was perfectly fine with a smile, "The wine is very fine and the surroundings are curiously rustic," he added.

"This is the best place," Vincent said with a grin. Varys gave a vague nod. Siskin took his arm at the elbow and turned him away from the table. He followed her willingly as she led him away.

"The stairs here lead to the private rooms of everyone staying here. You can stay as long as you want to; there will always be space for you here. The toilets are through that door and if you get hungry, they'll cook anything you could possibly want. Oh, and there is a huge library through that door as well." Siskin explained.

"What _is_ this place?"

"A refuge for those that need it." Varys shrugged and followed her to the other table with people drinking at it. "This is Severus and Kalli; both are fairly new here too." Siskin ushered him into a seat and sat next to him. "So, tell me Varys, why _are_ you wearing something that resembles curtains?"

"What?"

"I'm not being rude, not intentionally anyway. The fabric you're wearing is clearly expensive but the cut is all wrong for your shape," she said. "The little waist coat is cute though." Varys nearly spat wine at that.

"I live in a warm place. It's loose fitting to help me keep cool. It's all very well being trussed up to the collar like he is," Varys said pointing at Severus, "But I'd sweat myself into a stupor before breakfast." Severus' black eyes narrowed.

"What is wrong with dressing like this?" he asked. His voice was a silky drawl but the disinterest was clearly feigned.

"Nothing my dear fellow, but it'd do you no good in a hot country." Varys said.

"So what do you do for fun?" Kalli asked. She leaned forward on the table and pushed long red hair out of her face.

"Fun?" Varys frowned.

"Yeah, you know, to relax and that sort of thing." Siskin said. There was a smile on her face that lit up her eyes.

"I read." Severus said.

"That's why there's a new library here." Siskin said. Severus nodded. "What about you Varys?"

"I listen at doors, that's rather fun," he laughed. "It's amazing what you can find out when you keep your mouth shut."

"But that's _work_. What about when you want to relax?" Siskin said. Varys opened his mouth and closed it again. What did he do for fun anyway? He sat for nearly a full minute thinking on her question.

"I do spend some time at the bathhouse," he said eventually. "Which can be fun at times."

"Are they mixed baths?" Kalli asked. Severus looked at her with a raised eyebrow and she smirked right back at him. A touch of a red kissed Siskin's cheeks.

"No. Not that it matters for one of my kind?" Her frown caused a crease to appear in the centre of her brow. "Dear girl, I am a eunuch." His three companions exchanged glances before Siskin shrugged.

"So, clearly you're here because you _need_ to have some fun. Both of you." Siskin said giving Severus a hard stare as well as Varys. "Life is too short to go along being so serious all the time. We'll soon get you out of that frowning habit," she said pointing at Severus, "And you out of your work habit." Varys exchanged a look with his comrade, who looked every bit as worried as he did. Kalli placed her hand over his and smiled. At least he had that for reassurance. Suddenly, Varys felt as though this may not be such a good place to be after all.


	2. Of Vincent's Plan

Siskin caught Kalli's eye and the two exchanged a conspiratorial look. She made a motion with her eyes and the two girls left their respective charges drinking at the table. They scampered off to the opposite side of the inn before settling onto one of the vacant tables. They leaned their heads close together, "You finally managed to get him here." Kalli said.

Siskin rolled her eyes. "You know this place; it was nothing to do with me."

Kalli nodded, "What did you have in mind about fun?"

"Oi! Vincent!" Siskin yelled. She tossed a blond lock over her shoulder and waited. Vincent looked over and she gave him a wave. The assassin lurched to his feet, grabbed his tankard and waltzed over as though he had all the time in the world.

"And what can I do for you two lovely ladies?" he said plonking himself down on a nearby chair and grinning up at them. Kalli raised an eyebrow at him. He grinned, already tipsy from the honeyed beer he was drinking.

"You see those two over there?" Siskin said.

"The two newbies? Yeah I seen 'em. Couple of stiffs ain't they," Vincent said. He flicked his fine brown hair from his face and shrugged, "What about them?"

Kalli punched him on the arm "They're not stiffs, they're just new."

"You remember being new here right?" Siskin said.

Vincent smiled, "I helped build this place," he laughed.

"Well, Severus has added a library in the short time he's been here-"

"Wondered where that came from." Vincent said.

"And I think it's about time we showed those 'Stiff Newbies' what a fun place this is to be, get them to loosen up a little and really allow them to remember this place for what it is." Siskin said.

"So, you want me to summon the troops and get something kicked off?" Vincent asked. His mouth had turned sly and a twinkle sparked in his dark eyes.

"Yeah!" the girls said in unison.

"Alright, give me an hour or so." The girls nodded. With that, Vincent stood up, placed his tankard on the bar and walked outside. Siskin looked at Kalli.

"What have we done?" Siskin asked. Kalli shrugged and looked back at the table they'd recently occupied. Varys and Severus seemed to be alright talking with each other at least. The girls remained where they were, waiting for the wayward assassin to make his way back into the inn. They weren't waiting long. He approached them with a swagger and winked down at Siskin, who blinked.

"This place is going to get very busy real soon, suggest you warn your two compadres," he said with a smirk.

"Thanks Vin." Kalli said. The two girls returned to the table. Severus narrowed his eyes at them; Varys merely gave them a bemused look.

"This place is going to get busy, probably the busiest it's ever been." Siskin said.

"There is going to be drinking, music, merriment and laughter." Kalli said.

"I'll head to the library then." Severus said.

"You'll do no such thing." Kalli said.

"It's not going to kill you and you never know, you may even enjoy it." Siskin added. The look he gave her was withering but he relented none the less. "And you Varys, you get to have some fun too."

"Joy!" he replied. The girls slid in beside the men and they idly chattered for a long while, their subjects ranging from insignificant to inconsequential. They'd just finished discussing the finer points of the merits of chocolate pudding when the door crashed open. In the doorway stood a huge fellow with green skin, red eyes and purple hair. Two great tusks jutted from his lower jaw and he smiled brightly at the occupants of the room. His arm was draped over a tall, slender framed young man with a long braid tumbling down his back. His ears were pointed at the top and his eyes sparked with nothing but mischief.

"'ZAK!" Kalli said. She jumped from her chair and rushed over to the braided fellow. He caught her in a bear hug and spun her round. "I didn't know you'd be coming!" she said.

"Of course," he said. He placed her back on the floor again and released her.

"Gaak," she nodded. The orc grinned back at her, showing her yellowed teeth.

"A'right," he said. Siskin, Varys and Severus climbed out of the little booth they had recently been occupying and joined the rest of the people in the inn. In another half an hour, the place was bustling. A huge round table manifested in one of the large corners and they moved to occupy it. At the table sat Roland Deschain, a grim faced gunslinger who spoke little but saw everything. Next to him was Mattie, a dark haired young showgirl. Cathal came next, a measured man who spoke in a drawl. A girl dressed in an army style uniform sat next to Vincent, her name was Kiz. A dark haired blue eyed man who wore a shirt, loose tie and sepia trench coat sat nattering to a red head named Ariel. Beside them were a fresh faced young knight named Alistair and a huntress named Zindrafel. Finally, there was a severe faced lad named Nathaniel, who had a brilliant white streak of hair at his temple. He sat chatting deeply to a strawberry haired man with a dark scar down his cheek. His name was Rowyn and he spoke with a thick accent that was tough to pick out. Zak and Gaak sat beside him. Silence descended. Siskin exchanged a glance with Kalli.

Vincent climbed onto the table and walked straight to the middle of it. "I know some of you know some of you but most of us are strangers at the moment. We need to get to know each other so I suggest we have a quick whip round, say who you are, where you live and what you do. That'll be a good start. By the end of that, we'll have had some more to drink and I'll have thought of what we can do next," he said. With that, he jumped back down to his seat and smiled. "I'll start. Name's Vincent. I come from Karana and I'm a White Rose. I kill for a living." With that, he turned to the young army girl next to him waiting for her to continue the introductions.


End file.
